Affective filter - Definition

In educational psychology, an affective filter is an emotional blockage to new learning. If a learner is suffering from discomfort from embarrassmment, shame, or fear of punishment around learning then one would say that the learner has an affective filter preventing learning from taking place.

Affective filters are common and instructors need to be aware of the causes of affective filters while dealing with learners who may be more susceptible to emotional impulses or pressures.